קח את המטה. יש בכאן פירושים רבים יש בדברי יחיד בעבור שאמר לישראל שמעו נא המורים והם בני אברהם יצחק ויעקב ואילו היה כן למה אמר להם עוד ממרים הייתם ואחרים אמרו כי מלת ודברתם כמו והכיתם וכמוהו ותדבר את כל זרע המלוכה ואין זה נכון כי המלה מגזרת דבר או מן ידבר עמים תחתנו והנה פי' ותדבר כמו ותאבד וכן בספר השני והנה פירוש ודברתם אל הסלע ואבדתם ועוד אם כן הפירוש למה נענש משה גם הם השיבו בעבור שהכה פעמים אם כן למה נענש אהרן ויאמר רבי משה הדרשן ז"ל הספרדי יש אותות נעשות בדבור ויש בפועל ודבור כמו מלת אלישע והשם צוה שיקח המטה להכות בסלע כמשפט הצור והוסיף מלת ודברתם להוציא המים במכה ובדבור ובעבור שהכעיסו ישראל אמר להם המן הסלע הזה נוציא לכם מים והיתה דעתו כי אין יכולת בנו להוציא מים מהסלע כי אם בכח השם והנה לא פירש דבורו היטב וחשבו אנשים בלבם כי דבורו שלא יוכל השם להוציא מים מן הסלע וזה טעם אשר לא קדשתם אותי והביא ראיה מדברי המשורר שאמר כי המרו את רוחו ויבטא בשפתיו והנה החטא היה בבטואו לא במכה גם זה איננו נכון כי משה אמר זה ולמה נענש אהרן ועוד כי אין במעשה זכר דבור והראיה שהביא איננה ראי' כי אין פי' כי המרו את רוחו כי אם אל השם וכן כתוב והמה מרו ועצבו את רוח קדשו וזה פירוש ויקציפו על מי מריבה והטעם שהקציפו השם וכן כתוב המה מי מריבה אשר רבו בני ישראל על ה' וירע למשה בעבורם כי המרו את רוח השם ויגזור על משה שלא יכנס לארץ. ואחרים אמרו כי הדבור אל הסלע שאיננו שומע איננה כי אם במכה ואם כן למה נענש משה. ואחרים אמרו בעבור שלא אמרו שירה כמו עלי באר ענו לה וזה טעם אשר לא קדשתם והאחרים אמרו כי השם צוה שידברו והם לא דברו רק הכה משה על כן נענשו שניהם ונאמר להם מעלתם מריתם לא האמנתם לא קדשתם. ואנשי שקול הדעת אמרו שלא יתכן שיהיה שליח השם ימיר דבור השם ואם הוא המיר איך נאמין בתורתו גם אלה לא דברו נכונה כי אילו היה מחליף במצוה מיד היה נענש כי הנה נענש על דבר שאינו מצוה לעולם ולא תורה לישראל ולא נעשה בזדון רק בשגגה בעבור שהכעיסוהו ישראל וכן אמר גם בי התאנף ה' בגללכם ואחרים אמרו כי ישראל אמרו שיוציא מסלע אחר וראיתם המן הסלע הזה ומשה פחד להחליף דבור השם ובעבור שלא האמין להוציא מים מן הסלע שאמרו על כן נענש וזה טעם לא האמנתם בי גם זה הפירוש איננו נכון כי הכתוב אמר מריתם את פי והנה לא מרו. והפירוש הנכון בעיני אגלנו ברמיזות דע כי כאשר ידע החלק את הכל ידבק בכל ויחדש בכל אותות ומופתים ואמת כי השם אמר למשה ולאהרן ודברתם ולא דברו בעבור מריבת העם עם משה והנה החלק חלק והכה הסלע ולא יצאו מים עד שהכהו פעם שנית והנה לא קדשו השם ומרו ומעלו בשגגה גם יוכל המפרש לפרש ויבטא בשפתיו על משה כי על כן נענש כי לא היה ראוי שידבר דבר עד שימלא שליחות השם גם יהיה דרש קדמונינו ז"ל כי החטא היה בעבור שאמר שמעו נא המורים ורמזו זה הסוד: TAKE THE ROD. Many interpretations are offered for this incident.13The sin of Moses and Aaron. There is an individual opinion that Moses sinned because he said to Israel, who are the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: Hear now, ye rebels (v. 10). However, if this were the case why did he again say,14After being punished. ye have been rebellious against the Lord (Deut. 9:7). Others say that the word ve-dibbartem (and speak ye) has the meaning, and ye shall strike. It is similar to the word va-tedabber (and destroyed) in and destroyed all the seed royal (II Chron. 22:10). However, this is incorrect, for va-tedabber is related to the word dever (destruction) or to the word yadber (he subdueth) in He subdueth peoples under us (Ps. 47:4). Va-tedabber15In II Chron. 22:10. thus means, and destroyed. Indeed, it so reads in the other book.16Its parallel in the Book of Kings. We read there, and destroyed (va-te’abbed) all the seed royal (II Kings 11:1). The meaning of ve-dibbartem el ha-sela (and speak ye unto the rock) thus is,17According to this interpretation. and ye shall destroy the rock.18Not, and you shall hit the rock. Furthermore, if this is the meaning of the word,19If ve-dibbartem means, and you shall strike. why was Moses punished? The above commentaries answer, because he hit the rock twice. However, if this is the case why was Aaron punished?20Aaron did not strike the rock. Rabbi Moses Ha-Kohen the Spaniard, of blessed memory, says that some signs21Miracles. are performed by word of mouth, others by action and speech, as in the case of the salt22Some editions read millat (the incident of). which Elisha cast into the water.23And he (Elisha) went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast salt therein, and said, Thus saith the Lord: I have healed these waters; there shall be not be from thence any more death or miscarrying, (II Kings 2:21). God commanded Moses to take the staff and strike the rock as he did in the case of the rock [at Horeb].24See Ex. 17:6. He added the word ve-dibbartem (and speak ye)25In our case. so that the water would flow via the speech and the blow. Because Israel angered him, Moses said, are we to bring you forth water from the rock? What Moses meant26By are we to bring you forth water out of the rock? was, we do not have the power to bring water out of the rock. We can only do so by the power of God. Now Moses did not make himself clear. People thought what he said was that God cannot bring water out of the rock. This is the meaning of because ye sanctified Me not in the midst of the children of Israel (Deut. 32:51). Rabbi Moses offered proof from the words of the poet who said, For they embittered his spirit, And he spoke rashly with his lip (Ps. 106:33). The sin was thus in his expressing, not by striking [the rock]. However, this too is incorrect, for Moses said, are we to bring you forth water out of this rock (v. 10). Why was Aaron punished?27If Moses didn’t make himself understood. Furthermore, no speech is mentioned in the Torah’s description of the act of striking the rock.28Thus a verbal pronouncement was not part of this event. The proof offered29From Ps. 106:33. by Rabbi Moses is no proof because the meaning of For they embittered his spirit is that they embittered God’s spirit. Scripture similarly writes, But they rebelled, and grieved His holy spirit (Is. 63:10). This is the meaning of They angered Him also at the waters of Meribah (Ps. 106:32). It means they angered God.30In other words, “him” refers to God, not to Moses. Scripture similarly states, These are the waters of Meribah, where the children of Israel strove with the Lord (Num. 20:13).31Thus “him” in they angered Him also at the waters of Meribah, refers to God. Scripture says, And it went ill with Moses because of them (Ps. 106:32) because they embittered God’s spirit, and He decreed that Moses not enter the land.32I.E.’s interpretation of Ps. 106:32. Others say that the meaning of speak to the rock can only mean strike the rock, for a rock cannot hear.33I.E. appears to be referring to Rashbam. It should be noted that Rashbam answers I.E.’s question. Now if this is so, why was Moses punished?34He did what he was instructed to, viz., to strike the rock. Some say that Moses and Aaron were punished because they did not sing a song of praise35Unto the Lord for giving them water. as in Spring up, O well-sing ye unto it (Num. 21:17). They say that this is the meaning of because ye sanctified Me not (Deut. 32:51).36Its meaning is, you did not sing a song of praise to me. Others say that God commanded Moses and Aaron to speak to the rock, but they did not speak to it. On the contrary, Moses struck the rock.37This is the opinion of Rashi. See Rashi on verse 11.
His interpretation is in keeping with the literal meaning of the text. Therefore they were both punished and they were told, ye trespassed (Deut. 32:51); ye rebelled (v. 24); ye believed not in Me (v. 12), and ye sanctified Me not (Deut. 32:52). Those who are guided by reason38And do not take Scripture literally when it is opposes reason. say that it is impossible that a messenger of God would alter God’s word.39If God told Moses to speak to the rock, then Moses would not strike the rock. If Moses transformed God’s word, how can we believe his Torah?40What assurance do we have that Moses did not alter the Torah? However, the aforementioned41Those who said that God told Moses to speak to the rock but that he struck the rock. also spoke incorrectly, for if Moses had altered a commandment he would have been punished immediately.42Moses was not punished immediately. His punishment was delayed. Look, Moses was punished with regard to something which was not an eternal commandment and not a law given to Israel. Nor did he knowingly violate God’s command. He only did so inadvertently because Israel angered him. Moses clearly said, Also the Lord was angry with me for your sakes (Deut. 1:37).43Which shows that he was not punished for deliberately violating God’s command. Others say that Israel told Moses44The text does not state this. These commentaries assume it. to bring water out of a different rock.45Than the one he was commanded to speak to. They offer this rock as proof (v. 10).46Are we to bring you forth water out of this rock? implies that we cannot bring water out of this rock, but we can out of another, that is, the rock about which God commanded us. However, Moses was afraid to alter God’s word.47For this was not the rock he was commanded to strike. Moses was punished because he did not believe that he would be able to bring forth water from the rock that Israel chose. He was therefore punished.48For not striking the rock chosen by Israel. This is the meaning of ye believed not in Me (v. 12). This interpretation is also incorrect, for Scripture states, ye rebelled against My word (v. 24). However, they did not rebel.49For they struck the rock which God commanded them to strike.I will reveal in hints the explanation which appears correct to me. Know, when the part50A person. knows the All,51I.E. often refers to God as the All. See I.E. on Gen. 1:26 (Vol. 1, p. 47). God is the creator of all. He is all. Also see I.E. on Ex. 33:21 (Vol. 2, p. 695). he cleaves to the All and creates signs and wonders with the help of the All.52See I.E. on Ex. 33:21 (Vol. 2, p. 695). Now it is true that God told Moses and Aaron, speak ye unto the rock. They did not speak to the rock because the people were quarreling with Moses. The “part” thus remained a “part.”53Moses was distracted and his mind did not cleave unto God. He struck the rock, and water did not come out of it54Because he was not cleaving unto God. until he struck it a second time.55His anger having been assuaged, Moses now cleaved unto God (Krinsky). This explanation is difficult. If Moses’ anger was assuaged, why didn’t he now speak to the rock? Moses and Aaron thus did not sanctify God’s name. They inadvertently rebelled and trespassed. It is also possible to explain that And he spoke rashly with his lips (Ps. 106:33) refers to Moses.56And not to God as previously explained. It was unseemly for Moses to say anything57Such as Hear now, ye rebels, etc. (v. 10). before fulfilling God’s command. Moses was therefore punished. The midrashic interpretation of our ancients, of blessed memory, who said that Moses sinned because he said, Hear now, ye rebels (v. 10) is also in keeping with this interpretation. The rabbis hint at this secret.
אל הסלע. שהודעתיך או הנמצא סמוך למחנה: UNTO THE ROCK. Which I pointed out to you or which is found close to the camp.58Hence Scripture speaks of the rock and not of a rock.
ונתן מימיו. בעבור מימיו טעו רבים ואמרו כי זה הסלע הוא הצור ואלה עורי לב כי הצור הוא בחורב וזה הסלע היה בקצה ארץ אדום כי בקדש היה גם יתכן לפרש מימיו המים שאתן בו: THAT IT GIVE FORTH ITS WATER. Many erred and said that the rock is to be identified with the stone [at Horeb]59Ex. 17:6. because Scripture reads, its water.60Rather than water. These commentaries assume that its water indicates that the stone had already produced water. See Bahya and Da’at zekenim mi-ba’ale ha-tosafot. However, they cannot think straight. The stone was in Horeb and this rock was at the border of the land of Edom, for it was in Kadesh.61See verses 1 and 14. It is also possible to interpret its water as meaning, the water which I will place in it.